Fun with horses

On Wednesday afternoon I spent an hour or so in great company — that of horses.

Shanna Gage Lai, chair of the Bay Area Equestrian Club, invited me to her childhood home in Walnut Creek to see the latest addition to her stable — a mare named Dakota and her foal, Tiger Lily. The pair were among 19 miniature horses rescued from North Dakota recently.

The horses had been at a rescue effort there, but the woman who ran the operation became suddenly ill and asked for help. Shanna, an avid horsewoman who has a special affinity for Arabians, says the plan was to temporarily keep Dakota and Tiger Lily with another miniature horse and the two Arabians that she stables at her mother’s home. She figured that while a home was being sought for the horses, the children in the club could learn more about their care and would give Dakota and Tiger Lily a chance to recover and get used to loving humans.

But the family fell in love with the duo and decided to adopt them. The horses have become a permanent part of the BAE Club, which includes a youth component along with the adult side. The youngster will learn about taking care of the small horses, and managing a nursing mother and foal, by tending to Dakota and Tiger Lily.

Dakota is about 3 years old, a bit too young to have been bred. The hardships of her life show on her bony frame and she has what might be called food issues. When she’s eating, she is defensive, fearful of the food being taken away from and an indication that what little food she got, she had to fight for. Dakota is a bit larger than a traditional miniature.

Tiger Lily has a bit of palomino in her coloring, and right now she’s working on shedding a thick coat that makes her a bit itchy. Both horses, however, are gentle and loving. While helping Tiger Lily easy an itch, she tried to return the favor, nuzzling my leg sweetly. It’s easy to see why Shanna and the whole family fell head over heels.

And good news — the other 17 miniatures have found permanent homes, too.

I’ve been impressed by BAE , which still is a young organization having been founded in 2012. The club offers the opportunity for fellow horse lovers to get together and share their passions. You don’t even have to own a horse to be a member. The club excels when it comes to youth programs. It is just wrapping up a veterinary camp, and membership in the club exposes youngsters to horses of all sorts, something that they might not be able to experience otherwise. Not everyone lives in an area where they can keep horses, or has the financial ability to care and board a horse.

The group also operates a store to help pay for its foster and rehabilitation rescue horse programs. The BAE Club Tack Shop is in The Spotted Cow, 2631 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek.